Detection scheme for particle size and concentration measurement

1. A particle monitoring system comprising:

a cuvette;

a laser that generates a Gaussian laser beam;

a phase mask for converting said Gaussian laser beam into a non-Gaussian dark beam;

a focusing lens that focuses said non-Gaussian dark beam onto particles moving through said cuvette; and

a first detector and a second detector each positioned to receive said dark beam transmitted through said cuvette; wherein the dark beam transmitted through said cuvette is characterized by a first intensity lobe and a second intensity lobe; and wherein the first detector is positioned over the first intensity lobe of the dark beam and the second detector is positioned over the second intensity lobe of the dark beam;

wherein the first and second detectors are separated from each other by a spacing and are optimized for sensitivity by alignment of the spacing between the first and second detectors to the maximum intensity gradient of the non-Gaussian dark beam;

wherein said focusing lens directs said non-Gaussian dark beam in said cuvette such that the particles cross a focal region of said non-Gaussian dark beam;

wherein the first detector and the second detector generate signals corresponding to particle size and particle concentration of the particles passing through the cuvette due to the interaction between the non-Gaussian dark beam and the particles.

2. The particle monitoring system of claim 1 ,

wherein the particles move through the non-Gaussian dark beam in a direction at an angle of 90 degrees relative to the direction of said dark beam;

wherein the signals of the first and second detectors qualitatively represent interferometry response;

wherein a first particle, having a refractive index that is larger than the surrounding medium, induces firstly a negative signal in the first detector and then induces a positive signal in the second detector;

wherein a second particle, having a refractive index that is smaller than the surrounding medium, induces firstly a positive signal in the first detector and then induces a positive signal in the second detector.

3. The particle monitoring system of claim 1 ,

wherein the signals from the first and second detectors are recorded in at least one of the following ways:

a) as separate signals;

b) as a differential signal of the first detector and second detector signals; and

c) as the sum of the first detector and second detector signals;

wherein the system is further configured to allow measurement of backscattering of radiation from the particles;

wherein the system comprises a beam splitter, a collecting lens, a pinhole, and a backscatter detector;

wherein backscatter radiation from a particle that is in the focus of the focusing lens is collected by the focusing lens, is collimated, is reflected by the beam splitter, and is directed via the collecting lens which focuses the radiation through the pinhole onto the backscatter detector.

4. The particle monitoring system of claim 1 , comprising a beam splitter and a second set of two forward detectors oriented in a perpendicular direction to the dark line of the dark beam;

wherein the detectors of the second set of two forward detectors are large relative to the beam size;

wherein the system is to check the symmetry of the signals from said second set of two detectors, in order to determine whether (I) a particle has crossed the focal zone along its diameter and therefore the signals are equal, or (II) the particle has crossed the focal zone along a chord and therefore the signals are different;

wherein the system is to check the symmetry of the signals from said second set of two forward detectors, in order to further determine (i) the width of the interaction, and (ii) the depth of modulation in the signal;

wherein, based on the timing of the signals from said second set of two forward detectors, the system determines also (I) the alignment of the particle flow direction, and (II) to what extent said particle flow direction is laminar and perpendicular to the optical axis.

5. The particle monitoring system of claim 1 , comprising a beam splitter and a third detector arranged to allow simultaneous measurement of back scattered radiation from the particles;

wherein the third detector comprises a backscatter detector which is configured

(A) to perform a confocal detection scheme and to verify that the interaction with the particle was in focus, and

(B) to provide size information, wherein, for particles smaller than the dark spot, the dark beam modulation is inversely proportional to the particle size; and wherein, for particles larger than the dark spot and moving with constant velocity, the interaction duration is proportional to the particle size; and

(C) based on back scattering interaction, to differentiate among particle groups based on details of the interaction; and

(D) to detect fluorescence generated by the illuminating beam.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein said particle detection system further comprises a processor configured to carry out algorithms to map the signals corresponding to particle size and particle concentration.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein said processor maps the signals corresponding to particle size and particle concentration as a function of time.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein said particle detection system further comprises a processor configured to characterize and differentiate the particles using validation filters.